Below is the email sent on Novemer 19, 2015.
At this point, most of you should have received a packet full of information about the capital campaign including details on the timing and cost of the project, the proposed footprint and plat, information on giving and borrowing, and frequently asked questions about the campaign and building project. If you haven't received a packet and would like one, please e-mail us at info@raisingthecross.org. Or, you can view the same information on our website.
You can share the news about our capital campaign with family and friends you think might be interested by connecting them with the Raising the Cross website or Facebook page. And you can expect to have the opportunity for deeper involvement in the campaign yourself.
As you may know, the capital campaign committee is calling parishioners to schedule in-person meetings with them. We want to help everyone understand the purpose of these meetings so that they will look forward to participating. Whereas in handing out the information packets, we have shared with the parish our vision for the journey, in meeting with people face-to-face, we want to involve the whole parish more deeply. You may be wondering: what are the meetings about?
First and foremost, the meetings are to gather your impressions about the capital campaign as it has unfolded so far, and your thoughts on the materials you've received. You may also be asked if you've thought about how you may want to support the campaign. We need to ask this because eventually, when we go to banks seeking a mortgage, one of their first questions will be how much has been pledged to our capital campaign.
Here's what will not happen during the meeting: you will not be asked to pledge a certain amount, to increase your pledge if you've already made one, or even to make a pledge before the meeting is over if you're not ready to. If you are ready, that's great. But that is a decision only you can make.
You might ask, “Wouldn't it be easier just to have everyone fill out a pledge card and skip the meetings?” Maybe. But this journey is not primarily about raising money. It's about all of us working and growing together to build our church. Your pledge is only one part of that.
The journey before us will reveal numerous opportunities to grow. We will grow in gratitude as we give thanks to the Lord for his wonderful blessings.We will grow in faith as we stand together in prayer, trusting ultimately in the Lord’s provision for our mission.We will grow in fellowship with one another as we share our hopes and dreams about how our church can incarnate the Gospel of Christ.
Please let us know if the information we're sharing in these emails is helpful, if you have any questions, and if there's anything about the campaign you'd like to know more about. You can give feedback to anyone who speaks with you about the campaign, at info@raisingthecross.org, or by leaving a note in the “Raising the Cross” box in the church hall.
Holy Cross Orthodox Church · www.holycrossoca.org